Alaskan Cruise Legacy Journal — Complete Guide (All Days)

How This Guide Works

Use one flow from start to finish. Each day includes a shot list and journal prompts. Then we’ll convert everything into a Legacy Journal, a weekly photo planner, and a wall calendar. Save highlights in My Dates so anniversaries and personal milestones appear automatically each year.

Smart Packing for Photos

• Phone + wrist strap (fastest camera is the one with you)
• Wide-to-normal lens if using a camera; leave heavy gear at home
• Dry bag / zip pouches for drizzle and spray
• Portable battery and cable
• Microfiber cloth (glacier mist = foggy glass)

Tip: Set your phone to back up on Wi-Fi nightly; don’t waste roaming data.

Day 1 — Departure & Inside Passage

Shot list: boarding passes & welcome cards, ship rails with wake, first distant peaks, your cabin door number. Prompt: “What surprised you first—sound, smell, or light?”

Day 2 — At Sea & First Glaciers

Shot list: wide water + mountains, bundled deck portraits, binoculars on rail, hot drinks. Prompt: “One moment you want to remember in ten years.”

Day 3 — Glacier Bay

Shot list: panorama, ice texture macro, reaction after a calving, quiet water. Prompt: “Describe the sound right after the ice fell.”

Day 4 — Port & Trails

Shot list: market stalls, trailhead sign & map, forest path, snack break, local sign typography. Prompt: “Who made you laugh and why?”

Day 5 — Final Day & Farewell

Shot list: farewell dinner toast, final deck walk, packed bags, sunrise/sunset from the window. Prompt: “One lesson this trip taught you.”

Fast Photo Culling (10 Minutes)

1. Star your anchors: pick 12 heroes (one per month/section).
2. Support set: choose 3–5 context shots per anchor (wide → medium → detail).
3. Delete doubles and obvious blurs.
4. Auto-crop verticals to landscape only if you must fill a slot.

Good enough beats perfect. Your future self wants the story, not pixel peeping.

Layout Recipes That Always Work

• Calendar page: 1 landscape hero + 1 caption (why this moment matters).
• Weekly planner spread: 1 hero at top + 3 context images; prompts in notes area.
• Legacy Journal spread: 1 hero left page; right page = 2–4 smaller images + 150–250 words.

Common Mistakes (and Easy Fixes)

• Shooting only vistas: Add people + artifacts (tickets, menus, signs).
• Waiting to journal: Jot 3 lines each night in phone notes; copy later.
• Too many similar shots: Choose one best angle; delete the rest.
• Image crowding online: Keep hero height clamped (already built into this template).

FAQs

How many photos do I need for a strong Legacy Journal?

About 12 anchors plus 40–60 supporting images for a tight, readable book.

Should I shoot RAW or JPG?

Phone JPG/HEIC is fine. If you use a camera, shoot RAW+JPG and keep JPGs for quick culls.

What size images should I upload?

Use the files named here (1600px wide for inline web). For print products in Pixfizz, upload originals; the builder will handle resolution.

Build Your Legacy Journal

Tag each highlight in My Dates. Then create a Legacy Journal for long-form stories, a weekly photo planner for everyday notes, and a wall calendar for your 12 anchors.